Gaff-hook.



Patented June 5, I900.

w. L. MARBLE. GAFF 00K.

(Application filed Oqt. 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

THE wrmls PETERS 00.. PMOTO-UTHQ" WASHINGTON, u. c

U ITED STX rns.

PATENT OFFICE.

WEBSTER L. MARBLE, OF GLADSTONE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO FRANK H. VAN QLEVE, OF ESCANABA, MICHIGAN.

GAFF-DHOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,945, dated June 5, 1900. Application filed Octoberfi, 1899. Serial No. 732,801. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WEBSTER L. MARBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gladstone, in the county of Delta and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gaff-Hooks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Myinvention relates to sportsmens implements; and it consists in an improved gaffhook, as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of theinvention is to provide a gaff-hook which shall be quick in operation, unfailing in its action, and capable of manipulation with one hand.

To this end my invention comprises a gaffhook composed of two prouged levers or jaws pivoted at the ends of the two arms of a springfork, the inner ends of the levers being pivoted together and provided with an adjusting-screw and also with laterally-projecting studs. I also provide a socket for the springfork, which permits it to be set at an angle to the handle, whereby the gaff-hook is rendered capable of use in many different positions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows my improved gaif-hook, the dotted lines showing its position when set ready for action. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the joint between the levers. Fig. 4 is a crosssection showing the action of the ad justingscrew. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of socket, and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the same.

The gafi-hook comprises a spring-fork A, made of resilient metal and having notches a in the ends of its arms to receive the jaws B, which are provided with toward each other. Pivot-pins I) enable the jaws to turn easily in the notches a. The inner ends of the jawsare pivoted together by a transverse rule-joint, the shoulders b abut prongs b, facing ting when the joint is wide open. On the pivot-pin b of this joint is hung a stirrup O, carrying a screw D, whose tapering upper end lies in a position to be euteredbetween the shoulders b At or near this joint and on one or both sides of the jaws I provide a stud E, projecting laterally. I'prefer to form said studs by extending the pivot-pin b and placing thereon the heads or thimbles shown, so as to give the studs considerable size and. strength. 5

The shank of the spring-fork A may be inserted in an ordinary socket F on a handle F and secured by a pin f; but it sometimes happens that one wishes to bring the gaffhook up under the fish, and in order to enable this to be easily done I have devised the socket shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the socket G is slotted or bifurcated, with grooves 9 formed in one or both sides to receive the end or-shauk of the spring-fork A, which in this case is made in the form of an elongated loop A, as shown. A transverse screw H enables the two sides of the socket to be securely clamped upon the shank or loop A. If it is desired to set the gaff-hook at an angle to the handle, the screw H is slacked, and the shank can then be turned to one side or the other until itisreoeived in the transverse 8o grooves g, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6. The screw is then tightened and the implement is ready for use.

The mode of using-this gaff-hook is as fol* lows: The implement being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the inner ends of the jaws B are forced upwardly until the shoulders I) abut. In this position the straight line joining the pivot 1) passes slightly below the pivot-pin b of the rule-joint, so that the joint locks itself open; but a slight pressure on the upper side of the joint will push the pin 12 below the line of the pivots b and allow the spring-fork A to close the jaws suddenly and strongly upon whatever is between them. It is therefore merely necessary to bring the open joint against the body of a fish to cause the jaws to instantly seize him. The amount of pressure necessary to thus trip the jaws can be adjusted by means of the screw D,since its tapering upper end can be inserted be tween the shoulders b to a greater or less extent, thus bringing them to a stop before they have come in contact and holding them with the pin 1) more nearly in line with the pins 1). The device can be set so that only a touch is enough to trip the jaws.

The studs or heads E are an important feature of my invention, since by means of them the sportsman can set the jaws by catching one of the studs on his boot-sole or the gunwale of the boat or a convenient rock or tree and giving a backward pull on the handle. This enables him to manipulate the implement with one hand, which is a matter of great importance when one is playing a fish.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A gaff-hook, comprising a spring-fork, a pronged jaw pivoted in each arm of the fork and united by a rule-joint with the other jaw, a stirrup hung on the pivot-pin of the rulejoint, and a tapering screw carried by said stirrup and adapted to be entered between the opposing shoulders of said rule-joint.

2. A gaff-hook, comprising a spring-fork,

. pronged jaws pivoted in the arms of said fork and united by a rule-joint, and one or more studs projecting laterally from said joint, the pivot-pin of said joint projecting on each side to a considerable extent.

3. A gaff-hook, comprising a spring-fork,

pronged jaws pivoted in the arms of said fork and united by a rule-joint, and a stud projectin g laterally from said joint.

4. A gaff-hook, comprising a spring-fork, pron ged jaws pivoted in the arms of said fork, a pin pivoting together the inner ends of said jaws and extended laterally, and heads on the projecting ends of said pin.

5. The combination with a gaiI-hook having a shank consisting of an elongated loop, of a socket for said shank comprising a bifurcated clamp having intersecting grooves in its inner faces to receive said loop in different positions, and a transverse clamping-screw.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEO. P. WHITTLESEY, GRAFTON L. McGILL. 

